Wednesday, July 1, 2009

I am laying here in bed with a fever thinking of how good the Lord is to me.God has given me a day to rest, although I have done everything but that, it seems.My company left town yesterday, just as this cold turned south.I was spoiled by my husband last night, and he has given me strict instructions to lie in bed and watch a movie.God is just good to me.

So, I opened my bible and I see that there is a conversation that is happening between Pilate and Jesus, John 17.It is about truth.

John 17:37 & 38, “Pilate asked him, “So you are a king?” Jesus answered, “You say that I am a king. For this I was born, and for this I came into the world, to testify to the truth. Everyone who belongs to the truth listens to my voice.” Pilate asked him, “What is truth?”

I can’t tell you why I would pick such a deep well when I have been given permission to be lazy all day.Perhaps it is my fever, but I have decided to ponder truth.Let’s see, this is all just stress weight…untruth.When I am smiling on the outside, it reflects a pure heart…untruth.

That is painful stuff and not fun; like I said, I don’t know why this has to be discussed right now.It is much easier to tell ourselves that we are doing fine, spending time and money just fine, and all of our relationships are just fine.Truth is hard.

My nephew is just getting into music.While he was here, we got the news about Michael Jackson.I was amazed that he actually knew who he was.

I remember, clearly, riding in the backseat of my dad’s Cadillac El Dorado, black with camel interior.I was sitting there in my little denim jacket with my “I love Michael Jackson” guitar pin…oh, and the Thriller button.Don’t judge me.My world was shattered that day.

My dad was a superhero to me.There had never been anything that he could not pull off.My 9th birthday was coming up and I asked him to get me what I wanted more than anything.I asked for him to bring Michael Jackson to my birthday party.He laughed.

I tried again, because he must have not understood how much I loved MJ.Hello…my button says it.Again, a snicker and a, “I can’t do that”.A dream was crushed and a hero fell.

Basically every day since then has been a struggle…just kidding.

Truth is good to know.It sets our boundaries.I need boundaries.

How important do you think it is that we live under truth…not deceived…not indulging in other’s opinions?Ok, turn on the TV…now how important do you think it is?

Jesus came to testify to the truth.There is one Truth and He is its messenger.If we are interested in truth, living in real time and real life, then we hear His voice.We look to His boundaries.We let Him tell us who we are and who others are.

Ah, but there are so many ways to escape from truth.I think our desire to be comfortable is our primary motivation to skirt the truth.The problem is that I don’t recall the comfort of the disciples ever being mentioned, certainly not the comfort of Jesus.

Truth would mean that we confess that we live extravagantly while others starve.It would mean that we do not take care of our widows and orphans.It would mean that the things that we will not confess or forgive have to come to light.That is the hard part, we don’t get to choose which truth we believe.Jesus testifies to the Truth.

We have to belong to truth, like a club.We need to have t-shirts that say, “Truth, I am not interested in your version of it”.We have to rely on the boundaries that are set up for us to perpetuate knowledge of truth.We have to set up boundaries for ourselves to make sure that we don’t veer off course.Jesus came for this very purpose…to help us keep our eye on the prize.

What do we get from all of this hard work?The dignity of oneness through the Father.That is a wonderful place to be.

Father, thank you for your steadfast nature.Thank you for constantly pulling us into your truth as we live in this world.Show us truth that we can live our lives accordingly.